<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Visalia-New-Year-Scholarships.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1133" alt="Visalia New Year Scholarships" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Visalia-New-Year-Scholarships-290x290.jpg" width="290" height="290" /></a>Fourteen students at SJVC’s <a title="SJVC Visalia" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/visalia/" target="_blank">Visalia</a> campus were proud recipients of <i>2013 New Year, New Career </i>scholarships.  “I had to quit my job to be able to attend SJVC full-time and I was concerned about making ends meet,” says Christa Cunningham, <a title="Respiratory Therapy program" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/respiratory-therapy/" target="_blank">Respiratory Therapy</a> student and scholarship recipient. “This scholarship was very helpful to me, because it allows me to focus completely on getting my degree and doing well in my program, without the added worry of finances."

The scholarship program was introduced in July, 2012 as a way to celebrate 2013’s first start date and benefit some of those students beginning their new career path. Over subsequent months, Visalia Admissions Teams earned scholarship funds with each new student enrolled who was scheduled to start on January 28<sup>th</sup>. All of those students were encouraged to apply for a scholarship, which ranged in value from $500 to $1,500.

The <i>2013 New Year, New Career </i>scholarship program generated a lot of excitement among Admissions Teams, as they built the award fund to $8,400.

A selection committee, comprised of SJVC staff and faculty, chose scholarship award recipients based primarily upon student responses to two essay questions on their applications. Student responses helped the committee to better understand the goals, obstacles and determination those students held for their successful college experience.

Scholarship recipients received a tuition credit in their first academic year at SJVC for the award amount. Those 14-students are:

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Prisilla Garcia-Ramos                          Health Care Administration

Cynthia Guerrero                                Medical Assisting

Jonathan Hernandez                           Industrial Technology

Christina Patala                                   Medical Assisting

Kristine Ramirez                                 Medical Assisting

Noelia Ramirez                                   Medical Assisting

Amanda Robles                                  Business Administration

Ashley Washington                             Medical Assisting

Vanessa Vasquez                                Medical Assisting

Sara Brittsan                                       Respiratory Therapy

Jamie Cornstock                                  Respiratory Therapy

Edgar Gonzalez                                  Medical Assisting

Alyssa Stephens                                  Medical Assisting

Christa Cunningham                           Respiratory Therapy